1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates in general to storage systems for storing and retrieving goods. In particular, the invention relates to a continuously rotating rotary storage carousel that rides on separate tracks that are spaced apart. In addition, the invention relates to a drive system mechanically interlocking and synchronizing the movement of a shuttle with a rotary storage carousel allowing the storage system to function the same regardless of the direction in which the drive system is operated. The invention also relates to a drive system mechanically interlocking and synchronizing the movement of a shuttle in conjunction with a rotary storage carousel and a continuous vertical lift operating on a single power source. Finally, the present invention relates to an improved intermeshing shelf and fork configuration capable of lifting and moving various sized containers not otherwise liftable by conventional storage systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many modern production and warehousing facilities require the storage and retrieval of thousands of inventoried items. To meet modern production and warehousing facilities needs generally requires a storage system where the storage carousel is in continuous motion. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,282,712 and 5,472,309 and 5,505,586 show a continuous motion storage system designed to deliver goods at rates which exceed the demand of today's production and warehousing facilities. In general, very complicated and expensive insertion and extraction assemblies such as those described in Lichti, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,091 were thought to be necessary. Special container mounting assemblies and extractor or inserter mechanisms cooperating therewith were proposed, for example, in Lichti, U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,207. A microprocessor coordinated control system coordinating the movement of a vertical lift with the rest of the system, dedicated input and output shuttles, intricate carousel drive mechanisms, and intricate carousel support mechanisms using castering wheels riding on a precisionly placed continuous loop track, or fixed wheels with turntables at the ends of the tracks, were thought to be necessary, for example, in Lichti, U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,586. In addition, the systems discussed above cannot be easily operated in reverse because many of the parts are specially designed to operate in one direction or, if mechanically able to operate in reverse, would require extensive modifications to the microprocessor control system.
However, many production and warehousing facilities desire a high speed continuous motion storage system having less intricate parts that is easy to service and maintain. In addition, many warehousing facilities desire the ability to operate the system in reverse and have the system function properly, without replacing parts or modifying the microprocessor control system, and do not require a vertical lift to run at variable speeds. Thus, there is a need to provide a less complex continuous storage and retrieval system for material goods, which can be run in either direction, and requires fewer parts so as to reduce its initial cost and minimize maintenance costs.
Another difficulty in previous continuous storage systems was the inability to lift containers of various heights and widths, particularly those that are very narrow. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,586 discloses shelves and forks having intermeshed scalloped edges wherein the innermost lobe width of the shelf or fork establishes the minimum width of the container which can be transferred and delivered on the storage system. In addition, the maximum container width a storage system can handle is generally determined by the lateral distance between the shelves. Taking the maximum width, subtracting the minimum width, then dividing by the maximum width provides the percentage container width variance which a particular storage system can adequately handle. For example, the storage system as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,586 can only handle approximately a 25 percent container width variance. Thus, there is a need to provide a storage system having intermeshing shelves and forks which can lift containers having a greater percent container width variance.
These and other difficulties of the prior art have been overcome according to the present invention.